


orangeade

by orphan_account



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends Huening Kai & Kang Taehyun, Coming of Age, Crushes, Dating, Established Choi Soobin/Choi Beomgyu, Fluff, Friendship/Love, M/M, Not Beta Read, Partying, Pining, Summer Romance, Underage Drinking, choi beomgyu and choi yeonjun are brothers, mentioned/eventual poly soogyukai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25036324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "shall i compare thee to a summer's day?" yeonjun asks, a playful lilt to his tone. and yes, taehyun may threaten to kick yeonjun in the shin, but boy is he smitten.or, a summer fling taejun au.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin, Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin/Huening Kai, Choi Beomgyu/Huening Kai, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai, Choi Yeonjun/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	orangeade

taehyun hastily wipes at the beads of sweat running down his forehead before they could drip down onto the bridge of his nose, promptly shoveling another scoop of ice cream into his mouth after doing so. he’s seated on the stone steps leading up to his house, and he can feel the sun’s heat even with the thick fabric of his blue cargo shorts protecting his thighs. it gets absolutely sweltering in the northeast by mid-june, and right now, taehyun would have killed to have a pool in his backyard. alas, with the sun’s rays mercilessly beating down on his slumped over figure, he lacks an effective way to cool off.

“god, kai, i wish i was a country club kid like yeji. we could be swimming right now,” taehyun whines, leaning so that the back of his head rests against the toffee-colored bricks of his home.

huening kai refuses to placate the brunette, that bastard. he instead merely scoffs at taehyun’s complaints about the heat, the same ones taehyun has subjected kai to hearing since he returned home from university a few weeks ago. “you’re so dramatic, taehyun. it’s only ninety degrees.”

“kai, i have been in seattle for the last nine months. i don’t know what the sun looks like anymore, let alone feels like.”

“sounds like a personal problem.”

“literally fight me.”

“unfortunately, i have a rule against fighting children,” kai retorts smoothly, looking as unbothered as ever. taehyun just reaches out to whack the back of his friend's neck, still making sure to not use too much force while doing so. this was their first summer being reunited after spending two terribly long semesters at college. while kai stayed in florida, taehyun flew cross country to seattle for school. still, the duo made it a point to remain in close contact these last nine months, something they achieved through the use of various social platforms. they were exchanging text messages so consistently that when taehyun didn't check his phone for one day during spring midterms, he received eighty four text messages from kai alone. so, when the duo reunited after schools let out, it was a smooth transition back into their old friendship, the one where they would spend practically ever day of summer together. still, two years ago, they had three other friends by their side, joining in on the fun.

see, taehyun’s town was relatively small. he lived on this quiet street where most of the couples were in their seventies, and it was quite boring to say the least. so when the choi brothers moved into one of the houses on the end of the road right before taehyun’s freshman year of high school, he was just glad to have some kids his age in the neighborhood. yeonjun and beomgyu became friends with taehyun pretty quickly after their parents started talking, and before they knew it, the three of them plus kai (who lived about a mile away) would spend a sizable chunk of their time hanging out. when kai meets choi soobin in his chemistry class sophomore year, the taller boy joins their group as well. summers were their favorite time of year by far. most days, the five of them would end up at someone’s home from noon to midnight, doing whatever activity they came up with on the spot. they always looked forward to summer, and that’s what made the eventual break up of their group so difficult to cope with.

yeonjun, soobin, and beomgyu go off to college first. yeonjun relocates to new york, while soobin and beomgyu end up going to a florida state school, but it’s still a few hours away from their small city. the goodbyes are difficult, but they all agree to try to reunite as soon as they can.

things get complicated when soobin and beomgyu decide to take summer classes to kickstart their majors (soobin wanted to become a language major, while beomgyu was studying dance) and yeonjun finds a summer internship in the city. no one comes home that summer, but kai and taehyun still make the most of it, being fresh out of high school. eventually, they depart too, and none of the five remain in their town any longer. it’s bittersweet in a way, but time brings growth, and they all eventually move on to bigger things.

that year, even holiday breaks don’t bring the five of them together. only during christmas break do more than two of them return, and it’s because beomgyu, soobin, and kai all go to school in-state. taehyun couldn’t afford the plane ticket home, and yeonjun was still busy working.

still, summer was the main event. kai and taehyun raced home first, both eager to see one another. when taehyun arrives, kai sleeps over at his home for four days straight. their parents don’t even bat an eye.

soobin and beomgyu return next, and come together. the two had started dating about six months ago when beomgyu transferred schools after his sophomore year winter break, and were promptly inseparable. the groupchat the five of them shared was full of congratulations when the news broke. now that they're an item, they split their time between hanging out as a pair and including kai and taehyun in their plans (taehyun suspects that they're more excited to see kai though, considering the tension between the trio). 

no one hears much from yeonjun though, so taehyun thinks he’s hallucinating when he watches a red honda pull up in front of the choi household. he's leaning against the side of his house, but even from far away, he’s sure as hell that the car doesn’t belong to beomgyu. then yeonjun steps out in all of his glory, sporting a head of black hair (it was blonde when they had seen him last), and taehyun’s mouth is on the ground. out of the corner of his eye, he recognizes a similar expression on kai’s face.

yeonjun spots them gawking from across the street, and makes sure his car is parked well in the driveway before he starts jogging down the road, towards them.

“hey guys, long time no see.”

\--

“well, that was a lot less awkward than i expected it to be," kai starts to say when him and taehyun retreat inside after talking to yeonjun for over an hour. yeonjun's parents had broken up the reunion, calling the new arrival inside to unpack his things so that they could go to their family dinner. when yeonjun’s parents saw kai and taehyun sitting with their son, they invited the two of them to tag along too, since beomgyu was clearly already planning to bring soobin along. the two youngest were now getting prepared for that dinner, with kai laying with his head in taehyun’s lap to “recharge his batteries” before they would go out for the night (they both knew kai just craved physical affection, but taehyun let it slide because hueningkai had been his best friend for years and they were used to each other’s antics at this point. plus, taehyun needed someone to cling onto here and there, so he had to give kai the attention he desires now in order to get his hand held at a later point. kai once jokingly called it a business arrangement). 

"i also can not believe that yeonjun got hot," kai comments offhandedly, merely meant to be a teasing jab at one of his good friends of the past. taehyun, still flustered from yeonjun's surprise arrival, is speaking before he thinks.

“yeonjun was always hot,” taehyun says without hesitation, but when the reality of what he just said dawns on him, his cheeks turn the same shade of red as that of a firetruck. kai gapes at him momentarily, just like the youngest did an hour earlier when first reuniting with the black-haired boy.

“oh my god.”

“kai-”

“oh my god,” he repeats.

“it’s not that big of a deal-”

“taehyun.”

“kai,” taehyun warns, tone as menacing it can be when he’s this mortified, which is to say, not very much. 

“you? yeonjun?”

“okay, yeonjun has always pretty-”

“he was just okay.”

“that’s because you’ve had a crush on beomgyu since freshman year-”

“we do not speak of it.”

“then shut about yeonjun and i!”

“but taehyun,” kai whines. “you’re painfully single and you never admit that any guys are attractive. you barely mention anyone particular at all. this could be a thing!”

“absolutely not. it’s yeonjun, kai.”

“so?”

“kai, i have not seen him in two years. the last time i saw him, i was still closeted and wearing those good awful khakis. willingly. ”

“hey, i liked those pants.”

“please, i looked like an undercooked hot pocket,” taehyun huffs, thinking back to his old fashion choices. “i do not know why i allowed my dad to buy me those.”

“we’re getting off track!” kai exclaims. “come on taehyun, don’t you want that classic summer relationship from those romance movies you watch?”

“i am not a romantic. stop spreading lies.”

“give me your netflix password then, let me prove it.”

taehyun thinks back to last night, and how he watched “to all the boys i’ve loved before” (taehyun wants to claim that it was to just gauge how bad the quality of the film was, but he actually found himself somewhat enjoying it midway through). it would be the first thing to pop up if hueningkai logged on to his account. “absolutely not.”

“your cowardice means you know i’m right.”

“wow, college has you using a vocabulary that’s closer to grade level now. i’m impressed.”

“i will make you perish.”

“do it, i double dog dare you,” taehyun retorts, changing their positions so he can flop down on top of huening kai, who squeals in distress. eventually kai wiggles his way out of taehyun's trap, leaning back on the couch. 

“you have to at least go on one date this summer, taehyun. at least test the waters a bit. join a dating app, for christ’s sake. have some fun.”

“i’ll do it when you confess to soobin and beomgyu.”

kai looks contemplative for a split second, before he just raises an eyebrow. “is that a challenge?”

taehyun feels his blood run cold at kai’s tone. he knows what this means. “oh my god, kai no-” he starts, but is immediately cut off by a grinning huening kai. 

“come on tae, what is the worst that could happen?”

“you’re going to see them at a family dinner tonight kai!”

“oh...you’re right. i forgot about that,” kai grows pensive, but then his eyes light up.

“hyun, i have the perfect idea.”

“...and i’m out,” taehyun starts, about to get up from the couch, but kai merely yanks him back down. the taller boy lays on top of taehyun this time, smothering the smaller boy under his frame.

“kai!” taehyun yelps as kai makes his body go still, so that he’s like a log holding taehyun down. taehyun scrambles desperately, but it quickly becomes evident that he’s going nowhere, so he gives up the fight, pouting. “okay, what is your idea, oh wise one?” he asks, fond exasperation clear in his voice.

“okay, so..” kai starts, sitting up quickly once he is sure that taehyun won’t run. “i’ll confess to beomgyu and soobin by the end of the summer, and you'll actually go on some dates. i'll give myself a chance at having my own romance novel moment if you do as well.”

taehyun felt like the deal was too easy. all he had to do was go on a few dates? there had to be a catch. “okay, it’s not that i’m not ecstatic for you, but what is the motive behind this exactly?”

the smile on kai’s face grows as he holds out his hand, beginning to tick off different reasons by putting down a finger as he speaks. “first of all, i was planning on telling beomgyu and soobin anyway because you know, this might be the last time we’re all together. plus, even if they don’t like me, it could be a good memory,” kai says, but taehyun can hear the tightness in his voice throughout that last sentence. “second of all, i think it’s important that you put yourself out there and start dating again after...well, you know. finding someone that you like over the summer could be great for you and i’d love to see you that happy. finally, third of all, the potential for future double dates excites me,” kai finishes, a smile appearing on his face.

taehyun playfully gasps. “i knew it, you can’t live without me for a second. you even want me to come along with you on dates.”

within seconds, kai is smacking him with one of the pillows laying on the couch. taehyun lets him, figuring he deserves it.

kai eventually stops, sitting back up on his heels. “anyways, come on. let’s have some fun this summer. we’re eligible bachelors, we deserve to be in the dating scene,” he says, waggling his eyebrows.

“i will do anything if it means you’ll stop doing...whatever that is.”

“yes!” kai exclaims. “okay, now, there’s a party being held by wooyoung tomorrow night.”

“he’s home too?”

“yeah, him and yeosang got in right before you did. i ran into them at the grocery store. they called me a baby,” kai says, crossing his arms petulantly.

“i couldn’t possibly imagine why,” taehyun deadpans, and kai whacks him again. “hey! don’t you think you’ve hit me enough for a day!”

“never,” kai laughs. “anyways, with this face, i am not a baby. i look like the healthy eighteen year old that i am.”

“alright, baby face.”

“aw, are you practicing nicknames for the party tomorrow?”

this time, it’s kai getting hit, his giggles being muffled by the pillow taehyun shoves in his face. taehyun really missed his best friend, he realizes, when the two begin a hybrid wrestling match and pillow fight of sorts. if there was anything he liked about this town, it was kai. taehyun really hopes that he, beomgyu, and soobin can work out, and he believes that they will. 

\--

still, taehyun remembers why he traveled cross country to go to college a few hours into wooyoung's party. it had all been okay at first. him and kai arrived together, got a drink, and then found some old friends to chat with. 

then the chois walk in, all three of them at once, and taehyun is suddenly stranded when kai goes off with soobin and beomgyu to play beer pong. taehyun is glad to see kai getting out of his comfort zone, since the youngest of the group did have the tendency to be especially shy around strangers, but now taehyun was alone with a red solo cup full of some overly diluted drink that tastes like nothing but sugar. unwilling to move and even more hesitant to go mingle with some of his old classmates, taehyun chooses to stand still and sip quietly at his punch.

“well, they left fast,” someone states after a few minutes, and taehyun can feel the owner of that voice moving closer in his direction. taehyun almost chokes on his drink when he looks up, coming face to face with yeonjun. taehyun had honestly not realized that the older boy was standing there, as he watched the black-haired boy initially go off to greet yeosang while soobin and beomgyu came over to try and convince kai to join their beer pong game. however, the slightly older boy had now returned, also holding a cup with whatever concoction the hosts had made. yeonjun is smiling in the direction that the three of them went, and when taehyun glances out the window towards where yeonjun is looking, he can vaguely make out the figures of soobin, beomgyu, and huening kai all standing around the beer pong table. taehyun takes note of their hysterical laughter that he can hear through the open window, but yeonjun is then speaking. “god, they’re so whipped, it’s crazy.”

that makes taehyun perk up. “wait, they like hyuka?” he asks to confirm, a grin blooming on his face.

“are you kidding?” yeonjun scoffs. “they literally do not shut up about him, how handsome he’s gotten, how funny he is. i’m honestly kind of tired of it.”

“oh my god. they’re all so obtuse.”

“i’m guessing that means that kai likes them too...good to know. i wonder when they’ll get their heads on straight and start going out.”

“hopefully soon, because i need to be spared. you can only take so much time with kai, hearing him gush about beomgyu’s silver hair and soobin’s bunny smile. i am exhausted.”

“well, mr. struggles, how about we go play against them?” yeonjun asks, peering outside of the glass panels again before turning his head back to taehyun. “their opponents seem to be ready to quit, i’m guessing, based on how badly that one guy is swaying.”

taehyun ponders if he really wants to play beer pong, if he really wants to get drunk tonight. he’s had his fair share of that experience already during his freshman year, constantly getting dragged by his upperclassmen friends to so many weekend parties. still, taehyun knows that the beer probably will be cheap and therefore not too strong, so he nods and lets yeonjun lead him outdoors. in a particularly dense area of the crowd, yeonjun grabs onto taehyun’s hand and pulls him along. yeonjun’s large palm envelopes the expanse of taehyun’s slender wrist as he drags him through the doorway, calling out “hey! let us play you guys next," to their three friends. 

beomgyu turns around, a smirk on his face. “you’re on, brother. i’m taking my revenge for all the times you’ve beaten me in games before tonight.”

“you suck at beer pong, shortie," yeonjun retorts, sticking out his tongue. soobin, kai, and taehyun all share an exasperated but fond look at the siblings' theatrics. 

“but kai here,” beomgyu suddenly says, pulling kai into his shoulder. “happens to be a natural.”

“beginner’s luck,” yeonjun retorts, ignoring kai’s cry of indignance. “taehyun is the most athletic one amongst us all anyways, so he’ll manage just fine, and i’m amazing.”

“nice to see new york has reduced his ego,” soobin comments dryly, but yeonjun just grins in response. he and taehyun stand to the side while the trio finishes up the game they’re currently playing. after they win, their opponents head back inside while taehyun and yeonjun step in. 

“alright, prepare to get demolished,” yeonjun mutters, throwing the ping pong ball. it misses the cup and lands on the floor. immediately, everyone dissolves into giggles except yeonjun himself. even taehyun crumples to the ground, doubled over from laughing so hard. yeonjun pouts, but the corners of his lips are curling up in amusement.

“okay, that was my first try. let me live, it’s been a while.” 

kai goes next, and gets the ball into the cup. yeonjun drinks. taehyun takes his turn, and makes it in as well. he’s always been decent at beer pong, courtesy of playing so many rounds with his upperclassmen friends prior to this day, games that now served as great practice. kai is a particularly tough opponent, and soobin plays surprisingly well, but yeonjun ends up winning the game for their team. still, taehyun and yeonjun had to split seven cups of beer between the two of them.

taehyun can handle alcohol surprisingly well considering his slender frame, in the sense that he doesn't stumble or fall over, but he still listens to yeonjun who insists that the younger boy sits down with him to rest for a while. soobin and beomgyu go inside to dance, dragging kai along with them, so the duo end up alone, perched on a lawn chair outside of the house. taehyun gazes at the swimming pool, which has been brightened with the help of underwater lights, causing the water to shine a vivid, aqua blue color. not too many people are outside, since most people shared the others' sentiment of wanting to dance inside, where there was a makeshift disco floor set up. even while being outside, taehyun can still feel the pumping bass from the speakers. the vibrations of the music mingle with the warmth coursing through taehyun's veins from the alcohol, pulsing through the ground and even shaking the lawn chair a tiny bit.

“so, how have you been bub?” yeonjun breaks the silence.

“i mean…nothing’s changed from what i told you yesterday at dinner,” taehyun answers, matter-of-fact. yeonjun rolls his eyes affectionately.

“taehyun, my parents were there yesterday. that means it was a PG-13 rated conversation. really, how’s college?”

“it’s okay, i guess,” taehyun fiddles with his sleeve. “sometimes it’s kind of scary to be so far away from home, and i do miss it here, but seattle’s nice. i could do without the work though.”

“i can’t believe you’re double majoring. you’re actually insane.”

“i want to keep my options open,” taehyun replies easily. “i literally have no idea what i’m going to end up doing, though. it kind of sucks.”

“don’t worry, i feel the same way,” yeonjun admits. the tone of his voice is uneasy.

“everything okay?” taehyun asks, sensing that something is wrong. yeonjun just sighs at first, but then he collects his voice and continues to speak.

“i kind of quit my job before i left. i just couldn’t do it anymore,” yeonjun admits, looking at the floor. 

“what?” taehyun’s eyes go wide. yeonjun had started working at a pretty well known dance studio near his college, becoming one of the premiere interns and eventually working his way into a part time role as a mentor. “i thought you liked it there?” taehyun’s response sound like more of a question than anything, because if he’s being honest, there’s a lot he doesn’t know about yeonjun anymore. the version of yeonjun he’s familiar with is the one from two years ago, and knowing that, taehyun tries to select his words carefully. he doesn’t want to run the risk of being insensitive, knowing how hard it could be to choose a career at this age.

“yeah, me too, but…the studio wasn’t exactly very ethically run, bad business practices and all. it put too much on my plate for so little reward.”

“oh, i’m sorry. god, that really sucks,” taehyun replies, biting at his lip. “i hope you can find a better place to teach. i'm sure you're just as amazing as i remember you being.” yeonjun cracks a small smile at that, but his expression quickly becomes neutral again as he explains his next point.

“honestly, i think i need a little break from dancing, if i’m being honest,” yeonjun mutters. “like, it’s been my biggest passion for as long as i can remember, but trying to turn it into a job is just a lot,” he finishes, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“is that why you came home?”

“yeah…it is nice to be back here, you know, where it all kind of started. it’s also really weird, seeing all these people that i used to spend every day with, for the first time in years.”

“i feel out of place, honestly,” taehyun admits. yeonjun cocks an eyebrow questioningly, but he doesn't look all that shocked.

“really? you too?”

“yeah, it’s like…” taehyun trails off for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. “i was such a different person in high school. there’s parts of me that were real, and i feel like you guys knew that version of me, the true one. everyone else just got to see some watered down version of me. and now i’m back, ten months after leaving, with four more piercings and new fashion sense, thank god. the only thing that hasn’t changed is my height unfortunately,” taehyun bites at his lip again. “this town is just…it feels so small after being in seattle for a year. i’m sure you think it’s even tinier than i do, i mean, you were in new york, but i’ve totally outgrown everything here. it’s kind of scary.”

“why did you return, then?” yeonjun asks inquisitively. “i mean, i know you didn’t come home for any holidays. was that why?”

“no, money was just tight then. i honestly just came for you guys, i guess. i mean, i love my family and i’m definitely happy to see them too, but i don’t think i would have agreed to stay for a whole three months without at least kai for company,” taehyun pauses. “i didn’t think you were going to be here, but i’m glad you are. it’s been a long time.”

“yeah, i’m glad too, taehyun,” yeonjun echoes, leaning his head against the younger boy’s shoulder. they’re still sitting on the same lawn chair, tucked in next to one another. neither of them are very drunk, but taehyun can still feel the alcohol all over his body. it sends a pleasant, tingling sensation of warmth that shoots through his veins. from where he’s folded against yeonjun’s side, taehyun peers up at the black haired boy, studying the way his face has changed. yeonjun's jawline is a little sharper now, lips fuller, and his cheeks have slightly shrunken in size. overall, he merely looks more mature, like the force of time has worked its magic on him. taehyun feels a little self conscious around yeonjun, because he knows he still somewhat resembles a high schooler, while yeonjun had all of the poise of a real adult. taehyun knew to expect such, because yeonjun had always been the coolest person that he knew ever since their first meeting, but it’s remarkable how such a transformation actually came to light. god, yeonjun got pretty.

“thanks,” yeonjun says, and taehyun’s eyes widen. he can not believe he just blurted that out. gosh, he was such a cliche, losing all control over his brain-to-mouth filter when slightly buzzed. for whatever physical inhibitions that taehyun still had a grasp on, there also was a plethora of ways that he would lose his control, becoming a rambling mess in the process.

“oh my god…please ignore me.”

“ah, you don’t think i’m good looking?” yeonjun teases, which has taehyun backpedalling in a second.

“no, it’s not that--”

“you’re good taehyun, i’m just messing with you. it's always been my favorite pastime.”

taehyun remembers more than a few instances when yeonjun would shout “nerd!” at him during their high school lunch breaks, still fondly ruffling his hair while doing so. “yes, you’ve always strived to make my life miserable.”

yeonjun gasps in mock offense. “wow, you claim to have changed, but you’re still coming for my throat.” mirrored grins appear on their faces, but the two are momentarily interrupted when beomgyu walks out of the house in search of them. when he spots the duo, he runs up to their chair, not even sparing a second glance at how closely they’re sitting together.

“hey guys, kai wants to go home.”

taehyun untangles himself from yeonjun’s embrace at beomgyu's words, moving to stand up. “oh, does he need someone to take him home? we were going to get an uber.”

“no, no, you guys can stay. soobin and i drove here in the same car, so we told kai that we'd take him with us and drop him off on the way. i'm just coming to say goodbye on behalf of the three of us. it was nice to see you, taehyun. yeonjun, i’ll see you at home.”

“see you,” yeonjun waves, and the duo watch beomgyu’s figure retreating back into the house. “do you want to go dance?” yeonjun asks suddenly.

taehyun weighs his options for a few seconds. he could stay out here, he could go home, or he could dance with yeonjun. the answer comes to him more quickly than he expects it to. “sure, why not?”

yeonjun is grabbing taehyun’s wrist again and before he knows it, they’re on the dance floor. “i’m going to get shown up by a dance major, aren’t i?” taehyun asks.

“totally. come on, you’re not that bad, i’ve seen you dance before. just follow my lead, we’ll move to the beat,” yeonjun replies. he reaches out, almost placing his hand on taehyun’s waist, before his head shoots up. his eyes flicker to taehyun’s. “is this okay? if i just-”

“yeah,” taehyun replies, hoping that his words sound breezy and unaffected, but he still gets a little choked up. “yeah, it’s fine.”

yeonjun settles his hand on taehyun’s waist, guiding him to a steady groove as the speakers play some remix of an old rihanna song. “you’re doing quite well, actually. not too shabby, hyun.”

“yeah, i’m self taught. my teacher was awful,” taehyun says into yeonjun’s ear so that the older boy can hear him over the booming music of the speakers.

“hey, that teacher does not appreciate being judged based off of the charity work he’s doing for a rookie.”

“too bad,” taehyun winks suddenly, shocked by his own bold nature. the song ends and taehyun is almost pulling away, but the next track begins immediately and yeonjun is asking if he wants to keep doing this. “you want to stay for a few more songs?”

taehyun checks his watch. it’s only hit one in the morning, decides that it’s not too bad of a time, and promptly agrees. “yeah, okay, sure," taehyun replies, and then yeonjun is pulling him back in, and 𝘰𝘩. taehyun finds that he likes dancing more than he imagined at first, even if they're in a crowded section of the party. yeonjun lets loose that night, swaying freely, and the smile on his face is so wide that taehyun finds himself too enamoured to look away. yeonjun is gorgeous like this, taehyun decides, when he’s letting himself have fun.

taehyun kind of moves in a haze of sorts, and he doesn’t know whether yeonjun or the alcohol is what makes him feel like he’s floating. eventually, the party dies down and people start to filter out. when taehyun tells yeonjun that he thinks he has to get home, yeonjun quickly follows him out, offering to drive him. the two enter yeonjun’s red convertible, and after yeonjun takes the roof down, they’re zooming down the silent roads of their town. the only thing lighting up the streets is a few street lamps, sparse amongst the mostly dark roads. the car passes the downtown area on their way home, and taehyun gazes at all these small shops that he basically grew up in. he knows most of the owners on this block. the streets they pass seem to blend in with one another as they approach their own, and upon arrival, yeonjun parks his car halfway in his own driveway before hopping out.

“i’ll walk you to your door,” he announces, and taehyun tries to protest, but yeonjun insists. they quickly cross the street to taehyun’s side of the road, and stop in front of his tan-colored home. they’re still holding hands, taehyun realizes vaguely. “i had fun today, taehyun. thanks for hanging out with me.”

“i did too,” the brown-haired boy agrees. “you should come over tomorrow. hang out with us more.”

“you want me there?” yeonjun says. taehyun is suddenly aware of just how close the other boy is because he can feel the heat radiating off of his body.

“yeah,” taehyun agrees, voice full of conviction. “i do.”

taehyun isn’t sure who moves first, but someone surges forward and the other eagerly meets them in the middle, and then they’re kissing. taehyun immediately notices how soft yeonjun’s lips are as they envelop his own. there’s raw passion in the kiss, and taehyun fists his hand in the front of yeonjun’s shirt. he can still taste the cheap beer on his tongue. 

“wait, you’re...you like boys?” yeonjun asks when they break apart, sounding a bit breathless. there’s a hitch in his voice, and taehyun notices the hint of fear in yeonjun look. he’s almost trying to separate himself and give taehyun a chance to back out. taehyun dislikes this look of hesitance, this insecurity within him.

“yeonjun, i just kissed you back,” taehyun replies eventually, a smile spreading on his face as he continues. “to answer, yeah, i do. i came out a few months after you left.”

“oh...sorry. i know you don’t owe me an explanation or anything, i just want to make sure you’re like as into this as i am. that you don’t...hate or regret this.”

taehyun’s features soften. “yeonjun, i don’t think there’s any way i wouldn’t be into this. you’re really attractive, if you haven’t noticed.”

a smile forms on yeonjun’s lips. taehyun is still enraptured by just how pretty and pink they are. “i mean i have, but it’s always nice to hear. say it again.”

“bossy, i see,” taehyun says, lips curling up. “you’re really pretty.”

“you are too, and i’d kind of like to kiss you again. can i?”

it’s taehyun who is left breathless this time. “of course.”

it’s two in the morning. the streetlight above them is blaring down on this one spot of their tiny, dark street, shining down on them as their lips interlock again. all taehyun can feel is warmth as he moves closer, deepening their kiss, and his lips tingle with the ever so faint taste of vanilla. the humid air has his clothes sticking to his skin, but there’s no room to feel uncomfortable right now when yeonjun’s lips are pressed against his. 


End file.
